Playground plaything



Nov. 30 1926.

w. H. SHERROD 'PLAYGROUND PLAYTHING Filed Jan. 27. 1925 Patented Nov.39,1926.' j

UNITED STATES .WILLIAM HENRY 1,608,821 PATENT OFFICE.

SHERROD, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ON-HALF TO J'. B.SLOANE, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PLAYGROUND PLAYTHING.

Application filed January 27, 1925. Serial No. 5,066.

AMy invention relates to playthings for children that are-formed tocharacterize a saddle horse or otherV animal, and that. are adapted tobe mounted and provided with means for simulating the lunge, gallop or'movement of the horse, with the aid of, and upon being ridden bychildren.

An object ofnny invention is to provide a plaything adapted to givepleasure to children'and afford a safe` means for their amusement andexercise.

Another object is to provide -a portable plaything that is adapted foruse in an outdoor or indoor playground and that may be played with orexercised by a single child.

Another object is to provide a plaything that has means for adjustmentso as to be easily and readil made to accommodate the various sizes anWeights of children.

With .the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made Within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing: v

Figure 1 is aA perspective view of a preerred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of certain movable parts of Fig.1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of my invention.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar arts throughout these'veralviews.

ore'specii'ically, lindicates a base comprising a pair of transversecross bars 11 and 12 which may be provided with rubber shod feet 13 atboth ends thereof. The bars are connected intermediate their ends butspaced apart by a longitudinal reach 14 that begins at the cross bar 12and projects forwardly beyond the cross bar 11 after which it may havean upward curvature terminating above the reach 14 and rearwardly of thecross bar to `form a C frame 15 as in Fig. 1. The C frame 157 is stienedby spaced connecting braces 16 fixed thereto and running to the reach14.

Upwardly extending lugs 17 are formed at the juncture of the cross bar11 and reach 14 through which a pin 18 is secured to pro- A portion ofthe free outer end of the arm l 19 extending rearwardly of the neck 21,has a seat or saddle 24` affixed thereto.

Stirrups 25 are detachably fastened to the arm 19 ahead of the neck 21,said arm being provided with a series of openings 26 so that thestirrups may be adjusted to suit various sizes of children and be mademore comfortable in the action of exercising the device.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1 I fasten to the clip23 a hold back U strap 27 to which is hooked a close wound spring 28that is threaded overthe free outer end 29 of the C frame 15. In orderto'properly position the other end of this spring on the C frame, achain 30 is provided. One end of this chain is secured to the frameforwardly'of the bar 11 and the free portion of the chain or any one ofthe several links may be hooked tothe spring h 28, so that the elementson the arm 19 may have adjustment means for elevating or lowering thesame in accordance with the weight of a rider to gain substantially thesame movement as would be had with one of greater or lesser Weight.

As an aid to one riding the horse a han'-- dle 31 serving in lieu of abridle is removably ixed to the horse head 20. Openings 32 are providedfor the reception of the handle so it may be variably located to suitones comfort.

In the modification shown in Figure 3 the spring 33 permits the arm 19to be elevated or depressed in a similar way to that described above inthe case of Figure 1, but, the balancing is effected byA the action of acompression spring 34. The latter is interposed between the arm 19rearwardly of its pivot and the base 10, and is carried by a plunger rod35 pivotally engaging arm 19 and having its free end slidably engaging aweb 36 of the base 10. The latter provides a stop for the spring- 34.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 a series of holes 37 is provided atthe end of arm 19 so that the engagement between spring 33 and the armmay be variably positioned to alter its effective opposition to theswingmg 'of the arm. Similarly a series of holes 38 may be provided forvariably positlonmg the aim engagement of spring 34.

In Figure 1, the structure shown is in. tended to be made of pipe ortubmg havinghands, rising-or bobbing and swinging the' body forwardly orbackwardly causing the arm ,19 to rise and fall. Under these conditionsthe controlling spring will alternately be stretched and contracted soas to give an even easy swing simulating the lope or gallop of a horse.

I claim :l

1. A device of the character described comprising; a base consisting ofa reach rod having opposed pairs of laterally extending legs and anupwardly extending forward extremity; an arm having one end pivoted tothe base adjacent the forward legs, andthe other end extending upwardlytoward the rear and adapted to swing in a vertical plane above the base;a simulation of a sadydled animal adapted for av seat upon said swingingend; a tension spring connecting said forward base extremity to saidswing- 2. A device of the character described' comprising; a baseconsisting of a reach rod having opposed pairs of laterally extendinglegs, and an upwardly extending'forward end with a bar-like extremitycurving rearwardly; an arm having one end pivoted to the base adjacentthe forward legs, and its other end extending upwardly toward the rearand adapted to swing in a vertical plane above the base; a simulation'of a saddled figure `adapted for a seat-upon tsaid swinging end; and atension 'springe-:engaging said swingingend and variably positionableupon said bar-like extremity, whereby' said arm may be maintained in anelevated position and itsA swinging be yieldingly opposed.

3. A device of the character described comprising;` a base consisting ofa reach rod having opposed pairs of laterally extending legs, and anupwardly extending forward end with a bar-like extremity curvingrearwardly; an arm having one end pivoted to the base adjacent theforward legs, and its other end extending upwardly toward the rear andadapted to swing in a vertical plane above the hase;A a simulation of asaddled animal adapted for a seat upon said swinging end; and a helicaltension springhaving one of its ends connected to said swing# ing end,and its other end surrounding and variably positionable upon saidbar-like ex tremity, whereby said swinging end may be `maintained in anelevated position and its swingin` be yieldinffly opposed.

Y D W. IENRY sHERRoD.

